BELVIDERE — A 41-year-old Belvidere man was arrested after a three-month-long investigation that included Rockford DEA task force officers, Belvidere and Boone County narcotics detectives and officers from the State Line Area Narcotics Task Force.

According to a statement released today by the Belvidere Police Department, Burnell Townsel is charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance after police stopped him in the 600 block of Sixth Street in Belvidere and seized more than 90 grams of heroin along with an unspecified amount of cash.

Unlawful delivery of a controlled substance is a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

Belvidere Police Chief Jan Noble said there has been a recent “up-tick” in heroine use and heroine-related deaths throughout northern Illinois, and urged people to contact police with any information that could assist drug investigations.

“We are only as strong as the tips we receive from the public,” Noble said.